Humidifier



SePtl3, 1949. H. E. GIBSQN` n 2,481,738

HUMIDIFIER Filed Jan. ze, 194s 2 sheets-sheet 1 mm Mm El MMMQ Axvomsxs Sept. 13, 1949. H. E. GIBSON 2,481,738

HUMIDIFIER FledJan. 26, 1948 2 Shebs-Shet 2 Patented Sept. 13, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUMIDIFIER Harry E. Gibson, Muskegon, Mich. Application January 26, 1948, Serial No. 4,341

' 4 Claims. `5111iy 'I'his invention is concernedl with 'a novel and verypractical and Auseful humidier tov supply arcoin or building with water vapor, and which is automatically loperable 'upon'the relative humidityrof Lthe ai 'within a room or building falling below a .preselected amount. 'Upon this occurring the humidifier `of my invention is rendered operable to 'vaporize water to vsupply the enclosed room or building space with additional vapor until the desired degree of humidity has been reached.

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a humidifying apparatus by which' the results ymentioned 'are attained in a fully satisfactory manner.

The invention maybe understood from the following descriptiomtaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. '1 is a partial vertical section and elevationthrough the'humidier of my invention, Fig. 2 is a similar vertical section in a plane at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan andpartial horizontal section through the upper part of the humidifier, and

Fig.l 4 is a longitudinal section through the water supply control apparatus which is used.

Like'reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures ofthe drawings.

In the structure disclosed, a housing having vertical walls I and a top2, preferably of sheet metal parts which'may be riveted or otherwise secured together, is provided. Through the geny erally central portion of the top 2 a short length of pipe 3 extends, whichv is connected at its lower end immediately below the top 2 with an inverted funnel 4 of a generally conicalform. The funnel is located over a cylinder 5 which is in the upper part of the housing I and which is open at both ends, its upper end being closely adjacent the lower side of the inverted funnel 4.

Within the upper portion of the cylinder 5 a cylindrical pan having walls 6 and a horizontal bottom 'I is located, `its upper edges being substantially flush withV the upper end of the cylinder 5.- The receptacle thus provided is closed by a cover 8 through the center of which a screw 9 passes and threads into a horizontal bar I0 extending between diametrically opposed sides of the wall 6. 'Ihe cover has a central opening through which the screw 9 freely passes, and may lift to permit escape of steam if, as later ldescribed, the water in the pan or receptacle is too strongly heated. Water is conducted through a pipe 4I2A to theV lower portion of the receptacle described, emptying thereinto immediately above the bottom 'Land water vapor leaves said receptacle through an outlet pipe II and may be conducted toA any enclosed space such as a room or building, the air of which is to be conditioned as to humidity. l

A constant supply of `water is provided from a float receptacle I3 which has a bottom and vertical sides and a separable top closure. Water comes to the receptacle through a pipe I4, connected with water mains under pressure or a pressure tank or other source for continuous supply of water, and ows into the receptacle I3 in accordance with the automatic operation of a valve I5 which is controlled by a float I 6, the water within the receptaclerIS being maintained at the same level, andv at a level, as shown in Fig. 1, such that the water above the bottom 'I of the water receiving receptacle within the housing I is of a shallow depth. The valve and float contro1 for automatic opening of the valve when the float lowers beyond a predetermined position, and closing the valve when the float is lifted by the water to a second position, need not be described in detail as it is, specically,

a well known means for controlling the entrance of water into a tank and stopping lfurther entrance when the water has reached a predetermined height therein. The receptacle or tank I3 is mounted at a side of the housing I by suitable brackets II as shown.

At the lower end and centrally of the cylinder I5 below the bottom l, a burner I8 for gaseous fuel is located and, adjacent one Iside thereof, a pilot light structure I 9 is mounted so that when fuel is supplied to the burner I8, it is lighted by the pilot light. Said burner and pilot light are located within guards 20 connected with the cylinder 5 to safeguard, as far as possible, against currents or the like either extinguishing or directing the flame of the burning fuel of either theburner or the pilot light. The burner I8 is at the upper end of a'vertical pipe 2l which conducts gaseous fuel tojit, in which a shutoi valve, manually operable, at 22 is located, the conduit connecting with vthe lower part 23 of a part of the gaseous fuel conduit, such connection being 4by a coupling 24. When gas is supplied and passes through the hollow housing 23 and with the valve 22 in open position, fuel is supplied to the burner I8. When the burner is operating, water above the bottom 'I of the receptacle described is heated and vapcrized.

The pilot at I9 is at the upper end of 'a thermo-1 couple 25 by which a continuous generation of electricity occurs during* all `ofthe time that the 3 pilot light is lighted. Such electricity provides a potential for current in an electric circuit, in which a Winding 2B is included. A vertical tubular conduit indicated generally at 21 supplies fuel for the pilot light and has at its lower portion a T-coupling 28 associated with which is a manually operable key 29 below it which operates a valve within the coupling 28 to open or close the conduit sol that gaseous fuel carried through the ,tubular connection-Silwill supply the pilot light all of the time that the valve is open.

4mes

The valve, controlled by the key 29, is open when#V ever the humidifier is in operation and is keyv operated only to close it at times when it isl not to be used. The tubular connection at Silisl in4 fuel supply.V e whichistov direct connection with the gaseous Within the room or buildingspac be conditioned as to Water vapor therein, a humidistat 3| is installed. It includes a make and break switch for an electric circuit, closingthe circuit upon thejhumidity being below a predetermined desired amountjarrdfjopening it when* the air within the spa-deis` sufficiently humid. rfwo circuit'wiresY 32 lead'from'the'humidostat to binding posts 33 carriedatthe inner side of the'hous'- ing l` from-which two, wires 1liY lead, one of them to the thermocou'ple 2liandthe other to an ele c trically controlled' v'alvewithin the housing 35; There are two binding posts connected with the housing as shown in Fig. 1, to one of which one of said wires 3 4' is corniected and a' wire 36 leadsfrom the other to-the-thermocouple for completing an electric circuit when the switch controlledA by the humidostatis'vclosed.

Uponclosure of s aid circuit a control valvefoi` the flow of gaseous'V f lud' to the burner I'S' is opened, said valve being within the housing'';

Whenthe humidostat'switchy isv open upon attainment of Va desired' relativ`e humid-ity within the space which isl supplied with water vapor, the valve Within the housing 351s closed and thepas sage o fgaseou's fuel tothe burner I8 stopped. The detailV of the interior structure of theelec'- trically controlled valve within the housing 35is well known and need not be` described, as in itself it is not new.

Y From the foregoing it will bev apparent that automatically whenever the humidity within Vthe enclosed space whichis falls below that desired, the supply of gaseous fuel to the burner |8` is turned' on, the fuel'. is lighted by the pilot' light and water above ythe bottom IY within the water receptacle within `the housing I is heated', whereupon water vapor is conducted through the pipe Il to the room or building space. Whentle humidity has reached its desired amount, the humidostat, which is affected by the humidity within the room, interto. be properly conditioned rupts the current and the flow of gaseous fuel to the' burner I8 is stopped, and will not again take place until the humidity reduces to the predetermined lower amount,T reaching of which actuates the humidostat t again close the circuit. The

provision of electric potential through the thermocouple is attained by the continuously burning pilot which supplies heat for that purpose.

The construction is very practical and useful and has proved tobevery satisfactory.

The invention is defined in the'appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a humidifier, areceptacle for holding water, means for supplyingwater tothe receptacle to maintain the level of the water substantially l constant, an outlet to the receptacle for conveying water vapor to a preselected space the air of which is to be supplied with the vapor, a burner underneath the lower side of the receptacle, a conduit for conducting gaseous fuel to the burner, control means for preventing the flow of gaseous fuel therethrough or for permitting its passage, an electric circuit associated with said control means for operating it for thepassage of fuel to the burner When the circuit closed', a humidostat control for closing and breaking said electric circuit to be located in said space supplied Vwith vapor from the receptacle, said humidostat control opening the circuit when the humidity of said space is below a predetermined amount and closing said circuit upon attainment thereof, saidreceptacle having an open upper end and a movable cover closing theV upper end. of the receptacle, said cover being free to move upwardly upon attainment of a 'predetermined pressure within the receptacle;

water, means for supplying water 'oqthe-y re carrying conduit to said' binei'fand fuel cntrol means for the conduit, -s'ad eiiclsrehavirg' atop, a verticali-lue through tlieftli 'ada downwardly and.V outwa ly 'extendingY annularwall t its 'ufer` edge v'pfortio's 3. A vapor sup lyingapparatus' comprising, a

Water. receiving receptaclemehs fer" ,Supplying the receptacle, a conduit; connected therewithforV carrying fuel ther-etnia humidostat adapted tofbe located inthe space to w-hienthe watervaporis t0 Said fuel Gar-frime condut'fqrepening liecoef duit fOr-:passage @hierWhenitheihumiditvxef Said eferreeed from and extending"belewgtheabpttom thereof and substantiallytojthe'heating ns, ar'coverine. enclosureferfeiereceptacles:shllilurnen fuel conduit and fuel controlvtherefor, said encloan outlet" to` thefreceptaclesure having a top located above the upper end of the receptacle, a vertical flue through said top, and a frustro-conical extension to said iiue at its lower end within said housing and over the upper ends of said receptacle and surrounding shell.

4. A vapor supplying apparatus comprising, a water receiving receptacle, means for supplying it with water, conduit means lfor conducting Water vapor therefrom to a preselected space to which th-e vapor is to be carried, heating means below the receptacle, a conduit connected therewith for carrying fuel thereto, a humidostat adapted to be located in the space to which the water vapor is to be carried, means connected therewith and to said fuel carrying conduit for opening the conduit for passage of fuel when the humidity of said preselected space lowers to a predetermined amount and for closing said conduit against the passage of fuel when said humidity attains a predetermined desired amount, said water receiving receptacle having a horizontal bottom and vertical sides, the bottom being located above the heating means, a cylindrical shell surrounding said receptacle spaced a short distance therefrom and extending below the bottom thereof and substantially to the heating means, a covering enclosure for said receptacle, shell, burner, fuel conduit and fuel control therefor, said. enclosure having a top located above the upper end of the receptacle, a vertical flue through said top, a rustro-conical extension to said flue at its lower end within said housing and over the upper ends of said receptacle and surrounding shell, said receptacle having a horizontal bar extending between and connected at its ends to opposite sides of the receptacle, a vertical guide member secured to said bar, and a nat metal cover having a central opening through which said vertical member freely passes, said cover lying over the upper end of said Water receiving receptacle and normally resting upon the upper edges thereof.

HARRY E. GIBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

